Overview & Reviews

A pioneering vehicle in many ways, the Toyota Highlander was one of the first midsize crossover SUVs to be sold in America when it debuted in 2001. With its car-based unibody design, the original Highlander provided many benefits over Toyota's more traditional SUVs, including better handling, higher fuel mileage, a quieter cabin, improved crashworthiness and easier entry and exit for passengers.

Since then, the Toyota Highlander has gone on to become one of the most popular crossovers available, appealing to shoppers who want a vehicle with SUV styling, plenty of versatility for hauling cargo and a third-row seat. The third-generation Highlander has the most seating capacity, while the second generation has the most rear cargo space. That said, a Highlander of any vintage is one of the better values out there for those seeking a comfortable, easy-to-drive vehicle that can carry a fair amount of cargo and passengers and handle snow and ice during the winter months while still delivering decent fuel economy.

Current Toyota Highlander
Redesigned for 2014, the current Toyota Highlander is a few inches longer than the previous-generation model and sports notably more aggressive styling. The cabin has also been modernized: Many of the cabin's previously hard plastic surfaces are now covered with softer materials, and the electronics are more up to date.

The Highlander is available with front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive. Base front-drive models come with a 2.7-liter four-cylinder engine making 185 horsepower and 184 pound-feet of torque. All other Highlanders have an impressively efficient 3.5-liter V6 good for 270 hp and 248 lb-ft of torque. A six-speed automatic transmission is standard with either engine. There is also a Toyota Highlander Hybrid that delivers considerably better fuel economy. It is covered in a separate review.

Toyota Highlander shoppers can choose among four trim levels: LE, LE Plus, XLE and Limited. Highlights of the base LE include 18-inch wheels, a touchscreen display, a rearview camera, Bluetooth and an iPod/USB interface. Moving up to the LE Plus gets you a flip-up rear window, a power liftgate, a power driver seat and tri-zone climate control. The XLE's perks include keyless ignition and entry, a sunroof, leather upholstery, a navigation system and Toyota's Entune suite of smartphone app-based services. The top-dog Limited sports 19-inch wheels, upgraded leather upholstery, heated and ventilated front seats, second-row captain's chairs, ambient interior lighting and an upgraded audio system. Additional safety features like blind-spot monitoring, frontal collision warning/mitigation and lane-departure warning systems are also available on the Limited.

On the road, the Highlander's near-silent V6 engine is complemented by a liquid-smooth six-speed automatic transmission with the refinement you might expect in a Lexus. Acceleration is among the best in this class. Unless your budget will only allow the four-cylinder engine, the V6 is the way to go. Maximum passenger capacity is eight -- more than most other crossovers. The third-row seat is still really only suitable for children, but the second row slides and reclines, maximizing comfort. The interior looks and feels upscale and there are plenty of storage areas for your personal items. Overall, we highly recommend the Highlander if you're shopping for a large, three-row crossover SUV.

Used Toyota Highlander Models
The second-generation Toyota Highlander was produced from 2008-'13. It was significantly larger than the previous model in nearly every way, adding shoulder room, hiproom and legroom all around as well as additional cargo capacity.

This generation Highlander felt spry on the road and was easy to drive, with especially brisk acceleration coming from the V6 engine. We liked the quiet, roomy cabin that seated up to seven passengers. While the Highlander's third row was less spacious than those of some rivals, it was easy to reach thanks to a nifty 40/20/40-split second row with a removable center seat that facilitated walk-through access. Cargo space was also down compared to larger crossovers, but this Highlander should still be roomy enough for almost any family.

For 2008, the only available engine was a 270-hp 3.5-liter V6. In 2009 it was joined by a 2.7-liter four-cylinder engine that made 187 hp and 186 lb-ft of torque. A six-speed automatic transmission and front-wheel drive were standard, and all-wheel drive was available with the V6.

Available trim levels, depending on the year, were base, Sport, SE, Plus and Limited. Standard equipment on the base Highlander included air-conditioning, a tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel and the 40/20/40-split second row bench seat. The Sport trim level (2008-'10) added a more firmly tuned suspension, a rearview camera, a flip-up rear window in the liftgate and a power-adjustable driver seat.

For 2011, Toyota discontinued the Sport trim level and made most of that trim level's equipment standard on the SE (2010-'13). The SE also had a sunroof, heated seats, leather upholstery and an upgraded audio system. The Plus (2013 only) had similar equipment to the Sport. For the Limited, Toyota added 19-inch wheels, tri-zone automatic climate control, upgraded upholstery and a front passenger seat. Major options for this Highlander included a navigation system and a rear-seat entertainment system.

If you're shopping for a second-generation model, take note that the 2008 through 2010 models had a less versatile third-row seat with a one-piece bench design rather than the 2010-'13 model's 50/50-split seat. For 2011, Toyota also mildly updated the Highlander's exterior styling.

The first-generation Toyota Highlander was produced from 2001-'07. It was powered by either a 155-hp four-cylinder engine or a 220-hp 3.0-liter V6. A four-speed automatic transmission was standard. In 2004 the V6 was bumped up to 3.3 liters and 230 hp, and models so equipped received a five-speed automatic transmission, while four-cylinder models soldiered on with the four-speed unit (and 5 extra hp). Available trim levels were base, Sport and Limited.

Base models came equipped with a respectable amount of equipment, including air-conditioning, power accessories, cruise control and a CD player. The Sport trim spiced things up with 17-inch alloys, a sport-tuned suspension, foglights, a power driver seat and a leather-wrapped steering wheel and shifter. The Limited added heated outside mirrors, power front seats, a fold-flat third-row seat (as of 2004) and an upgraded JBL sound system. Popular options included leather seating, an in-dash CD changer, a towing package and -- on the Limited model only -- a navigation system.

Shoppers interested in a used Toyota Highlander might want to confine their search to 2004 models and newer, not just because of the power increase, but also because a third-row seat and rear DVD entertainment system were newly available, enabling the Highlander to remain competitive with the strengthening crop of midsize crossover SUVs. Other significant changes for '04 included the addition of stability control and a tire-pressure warning system as standard equipment, as well as newly optional side curtain airbags for the first and second rows (which became standard on '07 models).

User Reviews:

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  Great Value proposition with style. - 2016 Toyota Highlander
  By Robert Sciba - August 10 - 9:04 pm

  The Highlander is big, it has three rows of seats, however it does not feel like a large car when you are driving. The size does make it comfortable for adults, the 2nd row seats have plenty of room even for larger/taller people. I really enjoy the "shelf" located slightly below the dashboard. It makes a great place to put your phone, glasses, laundry ticket, etc, you get the picture. It also has a large center console for bigger items. The onboard tech is OK, the Toyota Entune system has a couple of OK features including notification of txts and emails - although you cannot read them while driving but you can send a standardized response. You also have apps for Open Table, sports, stocks, movie tickets and a few others. The stereo, although listed as a premium system is not very powerful and the tone/quality is fair at best. The NAV is OK to use, the voice activation commands work best for making bluetooth phone calls but using it to NAV or perform other functions is mediocre. The motor sounds fine at most speeds but I do hear a "whine" or higher pitched tone from time to time that I do not care for. Also, the Homelink function is difficult to program. I have succeeded in getting button 1 programmed but the other buttons are not working. (I have not contacted Toyota yet on this issue) The pros are the nice size, overall styling and functionality, the cons are a couple of extra noises, avg stereo and mediocre grade leather on the seats. My net opinion, I would buy this car again and would recommend it to you!

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  Excellent, quiet and reliable - 2002 Toyota Highlander
  By RS - August 8 - 10:46 am

  Car still rides quiet (make sure to use quiet riding tires), has had very few problems that required any major work. Gives 18 city, 22 highway in Summers at speed limit. Take 10% off in CT winters. My car was built in Japan. Only brakes and scheduled maintenance work have been needed. Had engine check light come on after maintenance, but mechanic reset it at no charge. Battery needed change after 6 years. On the negative side, I the old tires wore out unevenly. Now I get them aligned annually. Great SUV. Will buy again if mileage is improved significantly without too much loss of power. This SUV still looks modern in styling and finish.

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  TH - 2004 Toyota Highlander
  By klklklklklklkl - August 8 - 2:00 am

  it is a very fabulous car and i love it so much you are great creators of a practical car

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  Oh Google Maps where art thou - 2017 Toyota Highlander
  By Miss My 4Runner - August 7 - 9:52 pm

  Love the Toyota brand except for one major sore spot. The entertainment system reminds me of how the phone carriers destroyed the handsets until Apple came along and broke their hold on the software aspect of purchasing phones. It was the carriers attempt at controlling the branding and access users had with their phones. The same thing happens with the navigation and entertainment systems in Toyota. While other companies have moved on to android and apple play, were still stuck in 1980 with Entune "entertainment system". Excluding that that, however, I do really like the Highlander. If I didnt have children, however, this truck would not be in my garage. Cons: Entune is horrible. Mapping stinks. Voice recognition is in name only. Its not like I have an accent or dont enunciate correctly. One last pet peeve: the gas milage is below the advertised amount. For the last 1000 miles, Ive been getting only 19.1 mpg. 21-22 if Im on the interstate. Pathetic but not unexpected.

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  Another Toyota Winner - 2002 Toyota Highlander
  By Harry - August 7 - 10:00 am

  I was a little apprehensive about the Highlander at first - but after 6 months of driving this vehicle is a real winner! I know its a SUV that that will never see more than a dirt road but it doesnt need too. The majority of the SUV buyers over pay for off-road capabilities that they never use. Stop pretending and save some money.

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  Sure its not a Lexus? - 2011 Toyota Highlander
  By corkyf - August 3 - 8:09 am

  I picked up my Highlander Limited AWD on Tue. Thurs my wife and I headed out on a 500 plus mile long weekend (37th anniversary). I had been checking out the Buick Enclave, but couldnt get the price I wanted. Id been to the ACC tourney and Toyota had a couple of cars in one of the tents. Saw the Highlander Limited.......liked the price and looks (especially interior). Visited nearby dealership and drove one. Fairly impressed. Looked online and got a price I liked..and made the deal. On our trip through the mountains of NC, TN, and VA.......it was much better than expected. Quiet, smooth, comfortable.......pleasure to travel in. Enjoyed it as much as my wifes infinity M35.

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  Great vehicle!!! - 2002 Toyota Highlander
  By DaveZ - August 2 - 2:00 am

  I am in sales. I bought this vehicle for my job because of perceived reliability. I have not been disappointed. This SUV has NEVER been back to the dealer for anything other than normal service work. I love it and would HIGHLY recommend it to anyone with SUV needs/wants and with a requirement for undying reliability. For several 000s less than a Lexus you can have all the same basic features, more room and the confidence that you are driving one of the best SUVs ever built. This is the best vehicle I have ever owned for my job. I drive over 30,000 miles/yr. through all kinds of weather and I have never been let down... BUY IT!

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  Wifes choice - 2004 Toyota Highlander
  By aljafljkl - August 2 - 2:00 am

  Very nice vehicle. Lexus quality; Toyota price. Smooth, quiet ride. 3rd row seating has already come in handy. 4 cylinder is a little sluggish, but not a problem. Gas mileage should be good for this medium sized SUV. We went from a 2000 Honda CRV, what a difference! The Toyota just feels more solid and gets better gas mileage, just no comparison between the two.

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  Never Again - 2016 Toyota Highlander
  By SPD - August 1 - 7:25 pm

  We decided to purchase an SUV and looked at just about everything. Since we own a Lexus (ES330)) and never had a problem so we decided we would go with a Toyota. If we had an opportunity to drive the Highlander for a day or two prior to making a decision we would have never bought it. First the "Chrometec" wheels are nothing but glorified hub caps. When you purchase the top model you expect to get real wheels. We cant use/tilt the moon roof because of road noise. We suspect it has to do with the aerodynamics of the tilt and cross bar of the luggage rack but someone eat Toyota should have tested that out. Here nor there its too loud to use. The positioning of the navigation screen is horrible. Most of the time there is such a glare on the screen its unusable - this was a really poorly thought out design. In addition the system shuts off and reboots for no reason - it appears we are not the only ones experiencing this. If you are using the Navigation and it shuts down your are out of luck until it reboots. We also have the vented seats but on the cooling mode you can hear the fan noise over your left shoulder if you are the driver - ridiculous. Lastly the floor in nothing more then felt. Looking at trading it in and only had it for a few months..worst vehicle I have ever owned. Cheaply made..

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  Great car, not true it can tow 5,000 lbs - 2013 Toyota Highlander
  By manny52 - July 31 - 9:07 am

  I love this vehicle, it is beautiful, drives like a car but moves 6 people. I am writing this review to alert others of a problem about towing. Toyota says that, with a towing package, the 3.5 L V6 Highlander can tow 5,000 lbs. But the package comes with a 4-pin electrical trailer connector which has no connection for electrical brakes. In Canada, it is illegal to tow more than 3,000 lbs without trailer brakes. Toyota cannot install a 7-pin connector on the Highlander. Therefore, Toyotas claim of a 5,000 lbs towing capacity is UNTRUE. The true towing capacity is less than 3,000 lbs.